5G Expectations, Dial-Up Dogs: Why slow matters in dog training, behaviour and health.

Remember when dial-up was a thing? You know....the screechy sounds, the waiting to connect, the constant lost connections...and needing a lot of patience just to send an email?

In 2025, I start to think something’s wrong with my internet if a page doesn’t refresh in under a second!

My good friend and colleague, Lisa (an incredible canine behaviour specialist), used this analogy today when we were chatting about some of the challenges we can encounter when working with our dog family clients. The analogy was that we find ourselves providing what are perceived as dial-up speed internet solutions in a society moving at a 5G pace.

For example, canine professionals who work from a relationship-based perspective (that’s me) are committing to a plan that consistently shows your dog that you’re an amazing owner-guardian (OG). What does that look like? It means keeping the relationship fun, being clear about what behaviours we want to see, and using food, affection, and play to support that. And how long does it take? A LONG time. We also lose the connection now and then… just like dial-up.

When I work with dogs who need physical therapy, I take the same slow approach. I don’t have a 5G solution for osteoarthritis or hip dysplasia. The path I take often requires more patience than I knew I had. Sometimes it takes me nearly two full one-hour sessions just to build enough trust for a dog to accept ten minutes of hands-on therapy.

I won’t lie—those are the moments I feel a bit of panic. Will the family trust me enough to keep going? I worry that if I don’t produce results on a 5G timeline, the OG might give up. I’m not worried about losing an appointment—I’m worried that giving up might lead to training with harsh methods, or worse, that the dog is euthanized because the only alternative is an expensive surgery. I worry because I've experienced it happen.

Writing this today is a reminder to myself that dial-up internet existed in a time when we all moved more slowly. And when we slow down, we grow deeper roots. We become stronger and more resilient. That’s what happens with our dogs, too, when we approach training, behaviour, and health as a process rather than something to fix quickly.

So, to all the fellow OGs out there—dog guardians and canine pros alike—let’s not lose faith in the slower approach. It’s not broken; it’s just working at a deeper level.

Connection takes time.

Healing takes time.

Trust takes time.

And it’s worth it.

Let’s choose slow. Let’s choose strong. Let’s keep showing up.